Imperial Palace Hotel & Casino
Poker Room Review
The last time I reviewed the Imperial Palace Poker Room it was located on the second floor down a hall from the Race and Sports Book, not exactly an easy place to locate and not much foot traffic walking by the room. That was then, this is now. The new owner of the Imperial Palace, Harrah's Entertainment, moved the poker room into some premium floor space on the first floor next to the main entrance of the resort. There is always a steady stream of Las Vegas visitors walking by the glass wall that separates the room from the intense noise of the casino and the visibility keeps the poker tables filled with players.
The Imperial Palace Hotel & Casino is centrally located on the famous Las Vegas Strip. The Asia themed resort has been catering to guests for many years with time honored attractions and some of the most stunning cocktail girls in all of Las Vegas. The IP has plenty of convenient free parking in the multi-level parking garage plus the Imperial Palace's central strip location places many of the major strip resorts within an easy walk. IP guests are treated to a full service casino offering all the popular casino table games, thousands of the latest slot machines, Keno lounge and a state-of-the-art Race and Sports Book.
The IP is famous for its world class auto museum open to the public. The collection of rare cars comes from the private collection of the founder and original owner of the Imperial Palace resort, the late Ralph Englestad. The centerpiece of the Auto Collection at the Imperial Palace is one of the largest collections of Duesenberg's to be found anywhere.
The Imperial Palace has numerous restaurants offering everything from standard Vegas coffee shop fare to the finest in gourmet dining at the Plaza Restaurant located on the fifth floor. Included on the list of restaurants are two vastly different buffets, even an authentic Hawaiian Luau and Polynesian Revue offered every Tuesday and Thursday night in the open air of the pool area, weather permitting. This popular attraction is now into its' fourteenth year.
Live entertainment can be found in the main casino at many of the table games with dealer-tainers. These dealers of table games are in costume and character of famous personalities including Michael Jackson, Blues Brothers, KISS band members, Marilyn Monroe and many more. The famous "Legends in Concert" stage show featuring celebrity look-alikes singing and dancing, so real you think its magic. The Legends show has entertained thousands over the years with its' talented recreation of stars, past and present. You're guaranteed to be entertained by the created knock-offs of Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, Madonna, Cher, Michael Jackson, Elvis and more. The production is constantly changing and adding new cast members and it continues to receive rave reviews and plays to a packed house.
Following years of 'no poker room' after the original room closed, the Imperial Palace poker room reopened its doors in May, 2004 under Poker Room Manager Mike Fey. Mike brings his decades of experience to the poker room and knows what poker players expect and demand in a modern poker room. The new poker operation was designed from the floor up with these expectations, while the comforts of the players was the final determining factor. Even the tables are custom designed and oversized, allowing players much more room than most other poker room's standard tables. No more bumping elbows and crowded foot space. Tables are arranged in the room with plenty of space so players are not being banged around by walkers. The IP poker room guarantees you will be in the friendliest, most comfortable poker room on the strip.
The Imperial Palace has the most liberal comp policy to be found in Las Vegas. You receive $2.00 for every hour played and there is no daily limit on the amount of the comp. Play 24 hours and you will receive a $48 food comp good anywhere in the hotel, even in the gift shop. Players can also qualify for a casino rate on rooms so check with the poker room for details. A bar is conveniently located next to the room so the free cocktails are always quick.
Ten tables of Texas Hold'em (The only poker game offered in the Imperial Palace poker room) await poker players. The IP poker room spreads $2-4, $3-6 and $4-8 Limit Texas Hold'em. A half or full kill can be added if requested by the players. No-limit Hold'em players currently have a choice of two varieties of the game, $1-$2 blinds with a $60 min-$200 max buy-in and $2-$5 blinds with a $100 min-$300 max buy-in. The room will spread most combinations of limits at if enough players have an interest.
Tournaments at the IP poker room are offered daily with all tournaments having a $50 buy-in for which you receive $1,000 in chips and a $5 bonus buy gets an additional $300 in play money. The schedule for the daily tournaments is Sunday and Monday at 1:00 PM, Tuesday at 7:00 PM, Wednesday at 1:00 PM, Thursday at 1:00 PM and Friday and Saturday at 1:00 PM. All tournaments have a single $25 rebuy option anytime during the first hour of play regardless of chip count getting an additional $1,000 in chips. The Friday and Saturday tournaments are Freezeout, No Rebuys. FYI the optional $5 bonus buy money goes to the tournament dealers as a gratuity. Another bonus, tournament players are automatically entered into a drawing held approximately two hours after the end of the tournament for a cash prize of up to $599. Only one ticket is drawn and that lucky player must be playing in a cash game, otherwise the money rolls over to the next day. Sit-n-Go's are offered anytime there's a full table and all have a $60 buy-in for $1,000 in chips with fifteen minute blind levels.
Telephone the poker room direct at 702.731.3311 ext 3750 for complete details of spreads, tournaments and any other questions about the IP's poker room. Stop by the exotic Asian themed resort for one of the most pleasurable poker playing experiences in Las Vegas and don't forget to register for your Harrah's Total Rewards player's card and receive credit for all of your play at any of the many Harrah's properties.
3535 Las Vegas Boulevard So.
Las Vegas, Nevada 89109
Toll Free: 1.800.634.6441
Local: 702.731.3311
www.imperialpalace.com
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